Home cooks shun microwave

THEY were the must-have kitchen gadget of the 1980s.

But Britons are now ditching microwaves and ready meals and are cooking their dishes from scratch.

Nearly one in four of the 2,000 people polled by British Lion eggs said either they did not own a microwave or it was “completely redundant”. Seven out of 10 said that when time was tight they would rustle up a quick dish from fresh ingredients. Just one in five people said they would turn to their microwave.

The study found that the over-50s were most likely to eat ready meals.

Young adults, however, were being inspired by TV cookery shows to be more adventurous in the kitchen.

People are now cooking more meals from scratch, even when they are in a rus

Andrew Joret, chairman of the British Egg Industry Council

Andrew Joret, chairman of the British Egg Industry Council, said: “People are now cooking more meals from scratch, even when they are in a rush.

“It’s interesting to see that the younger generation seem to be the ones who are embracing fresh-cooked fast food.”